Volvo Reveals Its First Electric Commercial Truck in Europe

The future of commercial trucks may very well be electric. It seems that more and more truck manufacturers are developing the technology, and Volvo recently unveiled the new FL Electric urban commercial truck for use in Europe.

The Volvo FL Electric is designed for urban distribution and refuse operation. That said, it could be used for a variety of other applications. According to Truckinginfo, the FL Electric will soon enter regular operation with customers in Gothenburg, Sweden, which is home base for Volvo Trucks. Sales and series production will begin early next year.

The very first FL Electric trucks will begin service in the refuse collection industry as a part of Renova recycling company's fleet. From there, Volvo will see how the vehicles perform and then expand the vehicle into other industries and other uses.

What are the FL Electric's Details?

Volvo Truck's FL Electric is a fully electric truck that has a GVW of 16 tons. It has a 185 kW electric motor with roughly 174 hp. Power is transmitted to the rear axle via a two-speed transmission. Max torque output is about 313 lb-ft. The lithium-ion batteries can provide a range of up to 186 miles on a single charge. When it is time to change, it takes one to two hours on a fast charger and up to 10 hours on a standard AC charger.

Volvo Trucks president Claes Nilsson said that the truck will allow for "cities that aim for sustainable urban development to benefit from the advantages of electrified truck transports," reported Truckinginfo.

The FL Electric Is Only the Beginning

Volvo's reveal of the FL Electric makes good on the company's promise to bring electric trucks to the road. Volvo won't just stop with the FL Electric. Nilsson was reported by electrek in January of 2018 saying "electromobility is fully in line with Volvo Truck's long-term commitment for sustainable urban development and zero emissions... This is only the beginning."

Volvo isn't the only company to get into producing electric medium and heavy-duty trucks. Tesla, VW, Daimler, Cummins, and several other companies have or are in the process of developing electric vehicles for commercial trucking needs. Still, the actual implementation is a few years off. Until then, diesel and gasoline trucks will still be the most common trucks on the road.